Minnesota Youth Media – Screenwriting and Media Production Workshop

Minnesota Youth Media is proposing to present a Screenwriting and Media Production Workshop to the 8th grade students at Linwood Monroe Arts Plus (LMAP) in Saint Paul. The workshop will introduce students to the elements of screenwriting, media production and allow the students to present their work in the first annual LMAP Film Festival.

The workshop is designed to serve the 120, 8th grade students at LMAP. The four week workshop will be integrated into the 8th grade English curriculum. The five 8th grade English classes include 20-25 students each. The workshop will include one week of screenwriting, one week of production, one week of student independent production outside of school, followed by one week of post-production. The film festival will be held during a two day period following the workshop.

Linwood Monroe Arts Plus is designated a Minnesota Title I school – serving racially and ethnically diverse student populations with high levels of poverty.

The LMAP community is 33% European, 32% African-American, 20% Asian, 14% Hispanic and 1% Native American. Some studies have shown that students of Hispanic, African-American and Native American background are sometimes under-served in technology and media. The workshop will provide these students with the opportunity to explore the aspects of media production.

Minnesota Youth Media were recently awarded a $10,000.00 Arts Learning Grant from Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) – We are currently seeking grant opportunities to balance the workshop budget of $25,050.00.

A contribution will help bring this program to the kids of Linwood Monroe Arts Plus.

ARTISTS:

Chris Macgowan is the lead teaching filmmaker for the workshop. Chris has completed numerous film and video productions for various organizations. Chris has written, produced and directed three short films. He has been involved in LMAP since 2005 in many volunteer teaching capacities.

Monte Swann is a teaching filmmaker for the workshop. Monte is a documentary filmmaker. He is driven by an intense interest in the human experience, and enjoys the magic of an editing room almost as much as the magic of a one on one interview. He has volunteered for the The Twin Cities German Immersion School teaching concepts and principles involved in photography.

Sev Pearman is a teaching filmmaker for the workshop. He has created lighting for film and video for over 25 years, working on documentaries, music videos and feature films. A long time advocate of teaching and mentoring, Sev has taught lighting for film and video at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis.

Jennifer Hays will coorinate the LMAP Student Film Festival. Jennifer is a software manager and writer / director. She has written, produced and directed two short films. She is currently in rewrite of her first feature length screenplay – Spin the Bottle.

WEBSITE: http://mnyouthmedia.org/